What do you drive?

[davejc64]

I remember in the 70's going to an exhibition in London as a school science trip to do with alternative ways of powering road vehicles and producing electricity, but then it was not so much about climate change, but because they were concerned with the fact fossil fuels would one day run out. And here we are today 2010 and nothing has changed, makes you think doesn't it.

[douglee]

Hi All,
You may be interested in this thread then.

http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... t=we+drive

Here is our every day car.


Click the image to zoom in


Yes I know it's spelt wrong. Not changing the album now.

Good luck
Doug

[g0fthick]

I remember in the 70's going to an exhibition in London as a school science trip to do with alternative ways of powering road vehicles and producing electricity, but then it was not so much about climate change, but because they were concerned with the fact fossil fuels would one day run out. And here we are today 2010 and nothing has changed, makes you think doesn't it.

Plenty has changed, and alternatives to fossil fuels have never been so widely available. The US government offers millions of dollars to the automotive industry annually to develop clean alternatives, and now every large automotive powerhouse has at least several product lines in development which fall under the petrol-free banner.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/17/roeh ... -electric/
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/toyo ... t-in-2012/
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/19/tesl ... to-includ/
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/15/bram ... ctric-mot/

These are a few posts from another site I frequent taken in the last week alone, concerning the advancement of automotive alternatives. It's moved far beyond what was previously just a pipe dream, and will become more and more prevalent on our streets as the years go by. It's not something we have a choice in, whether "global warming" is caused by humans or not, we will run out of fossil fuels.

[Acorncomputer]

In the 60's we were told that oil would have run out by 1990 but there were known coal reserves under the UK to keep us going for 200 years. Most of that coal will still be down there since the mining industry has been fairly inactive over the last 30 years or so and new ways of extracting oil have been developed, not dreamed of in the 60's.

[douglee]

Hi All,
A little flippant but....

Power this with batteries,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8387111.stm



Good luck
Doug

[g0fthick]

It seems a little backwards that they're looking into whether such vehicles are legal after having built the thing.

[Acorncomputer]

Hi All,
A little flippant but....

Power this with batteries,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8387111.stm



Good luck
Doug

A few solar panels on the roof to keep the radio and satnav going at least.

[Crimpsal]

More to the point, power this with batteries, it's in use now & is very much needed.

[douglee]

Hi All,
I'm in a funny mood today

More to the point, power this with batteries, it's in use now & is very much needed.

So it can protect the production of fossil fuels.

It seems a little backwards that they're looking into whether such vehicles are legal after having built the thing.

Denby's interpretation of the rules is that it is legal. The men in suits who hate having one pulled over on them said it's not as soon as they realised it was possible. The only people making money are the lawyers (as usual).

Footnote the Dutch allow them already. So European laws should mean it's OK within current rules.

Good luck
Doug

[davejc64]

But haven't trains been able too haul more than a single articulated lorry for years. So wouldn't a better solution be to carry more traffic by train for the longer distances rather than clog our already overloaded roads, oh but that would mean using common sense and as already been discussed before modern society lacks even the basic common sense.

[stephenholmes]

Hello everyone
Although I passed my driving test first time in 1994
I don't own a car
My licence has remained clean no endorsements whatsoever
Fortunately I am entitled to free off peak travel on Manchesters Metrolink and train travel within Greater Manchester
I also have free bus travel.
So really I don't need to own a car
Kind regards stephen

[codrivermike]

On a day to day basis I drive a mile munching and diesel gulping Merc Sprinter and when I get the time, cling screaming astride a ZX9R Ninja that'll break the national speed limit..........................

In 1st gear !!!!

Don't know what it'll do in 6th. I bottled it at 155 over Beattock. Good fun overtaking Pendolinos though

[Tonysmedley]

I passed my driving test more than 60 years ago and have driven well over 750,000 miles since then. I have over the years seen more terrible road accidents than I wanted and have been put in danger many times. When I read boasts about achieving illegal speeds in super cars, I just hope that I never have to share the road with such people. Driving a car is far too serious for people with over inflated egos.

[gswindale]

I don't have a problem with people obtaining ridiculous speeds in fancy cars as such.

I do have a problem with people obtaining those speeds when conditions are clearly not suitable.

With regards to trains carrying more than a lorry - yes they can however how do you propose we get the goods from the railway to the supermarket? There is more freight being carried by rail these days as I understand it; however with the increase in number of supermarkets (does my town really need 2 Tesco Superstores, 1 Sainsburys & 1 Morrisons? (we could do with a Waitrose though seeing as we have their HQ)) compared to 20 years ago, it is not so much the long distance freight usage on the roads that's the problem, but shorter distance usage.

[Crimpsal]

So it can protect the production of fossil fuels.

How much oil does Afghanistan produce now ?